The one left behind
by Paranoidgirl
Summary: Bitterness doesn't come out of nowhere. It builds over time. Norata-centric fic for FemaleSpock.


"Brother?" Aarch asked, opening the door to his younger brother's bedroom. He felt guilty. This always happened when Norata and his dad were in a fight... Norata would slink off and cry. "You awake?"

"Go away." Norata called out.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean it like that..."  
"Then how else should I take 'You're not going anywhere with soccer'?" Norata asked, just staring out in front of him. "Face it, he doesn't believe we'll make it."

"Don't let it get to you. Let's prove them wrong. We'll be the ones to take Akillian to greatness!" Aarch said. This made Norata snort, but a smile shone trough. Still, he felt worried...

"What if dad decides to abandon us?" He asked, fearfully. He was always fearful of that. After all, their mother had already walked out not too long ago...

"We don't need him. We'll have each other, right?" Aarch said, hugging his brother, who hugged back, feeling a lot better.

"Right."

* * *

"Norata?" Keira carefully called out, opening the door to the revalidation room. No answer, but the sound of metal hitting the ground betrayed her husband was in here. "Norata, please don't be like this." She tried, walking up to her husband, who was trying to walk on his new limb. He managed, still with crutches, but it was obvious he'd never fully recover, let alone play soccer.

"Like what?" He said, obvious contempt in his voice. "Bitter? Angry? Like the world hasn't crashed down on me?!" His sudden outburst caused him to lose focus as the crutches slipped and the crippled man fell down. His wife, surprisingly fast despite her pregnancy, was instantly by his side as he didn't bother to get up, just kneeling there. Ever since the disaster happened, Keira couldn't help but notice the perpetual slump in his shoulders. As if the snow they dug him out of was still pushing him down. "Like Aarch didn't just... abandon me." He whispered. "After all this time. After all his speeches he gave me in which he promised we'd stick together no matter what... He just... leaves."

"Norata..." Keira tried, not really knowing what to say as she hugged her husband. This calmed him down somewhat as he hugged her back.

"I don't need him. I have you, right?" He said, still a hint of sadness, but with hope. "We'll manage. The three of us." He placed a hand on his wife's stomach, who just smiled carefully.

"Right."

* * *

Rocket wouldn't stop crying... Four in the morning and Rocket wouldn't stop crying.

Norata didn't get it. Rocket was such a sweet, quiet baby. He fed him, cleaned him... yet he wouldn't stop crying. Why?

Who was he trying to fool? He knew damn well why.

"She's not coming back." He tried, knowing very well that the infant in his arms was too young to understand. "No one that leaves ever comes back, so you better stop crying now, or you will be crying your entire life!" He shouted, immediately regretting it as Rocket just cried louder. No. He wouldn't become like this, taking out his own frustrations on a child. He knew what damage that could do. He carefully hugged his son. The only one still with him. "Hush... Daddy didn't mean it... daddy's sorry..." He gently whispered, it seemed to work. "It's okay. It's okay. Daddy's here. Everything will be okay." He cooed. "Mommy might have left, but I'm still here... I'll always be here..." Slowly, but surely, the baby in his arms fell asleep, and Norata couldn't help but smile.

"We don't need her. We have each other, right?"

* * *

The house was so quiet...

Of course, it always was, neither Norata nor Rocket were talkative people, but still, without Rocket, it was so quiet.

He left. Of course he did. They always did. Why was this still surprising him? He tried everything in his might to stop it, to keep Rocket here.

Of course... that only widened the gap, as he found out too late. The boy was a soccer genius. Of course he was. He couldn't keep Rocket away from achieving his dream, that would make him a terrible father. Something he promised himself not to become.

So here he was. Alone again. Just him and his flowers.

"I don't need him" Norata whispered to himself. "I..." He couldn't finish it. Who was there left by his side? No one. They were all gone... "I don't need... anyone. I don't need anyone." He smiled sadly, as his mind added that one little word and he couldn't help but repeat it out loud. "Right?"

Maybe if he'd repeat it enough, he would believe it one day. He pretty much had to.

He was always the one left behind, after all.


End file.
